Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Racism Is An Ongoing Social Justice Issue Essay - 2166 Words

Racism has been an ongoing social justice issue for decades, and we seem to always fail to make it stop. According to Dummett (as cited in Fernando, 1984), racism is the behaviour and attitude that emerges from our beliefs that certain people are different from us. These differences are mainly based on race, where people come from, physical characteristics, such as colour and hair type or behavioural characteristics, and that people categorized must be treated differently based on their needs, capabilities and rights. Usually there is one dominant and superior group and a few inferior groups (Dummett, as cited in Fernando, 1984). Coates and Morrison (2011) suggests that what we distinguish as real and true may not always be real and that things may not always be as it seems. Coates and Morrison (2011) also states that we live in a racial matrix, where we have this illusion of reality and that differences associated with racial status and hierarchies are perceived as the norm in socie ty and this perception of reality is not easy to get rid of. There are four types of racism; subtle racism, colorism, internalized racism and reverse racism (Nittle, 2016). Racism can be explicit, but it can also be very subtle and covert, which is a huge problem, as most people do not even notice it and they do not realize that it happens on a day-to-day basis (Coates and Morrison, 2011). Racism is not only one problem or concern, as it is brings along a variety of other problems and is compiledShow MoreRelatedSocial Justice Is More than a Definition 1189 Words   |  5 Pagespermanently with just one meaning, Social Justice definition goes beyond what it states. The dictionary’s defines Social Justice as â€Å"the ability people have to realize their potential in the society where they live.† However, Social Justice and what it entails for people who are interested in learning about it, and practicing it would have to dig even deeper to have a better understanding . According to Christopher Merret’s Social Justice: What Is It, Why Teach It? Social Justice â€Å"can be defined in termsRead MoreRape Culture, Rapth, And The Cycles Of Social Justice1644 Words   |  7 Pagesenvisions rape culture, racism and wealth, and the cycles of socialization and liberation have been an ongoing challenge throughout history. Social justice and community is all about making the society we live in function better by providing the support and tools to help change the world. Most people understand social justice as a way of pursuing equality, but the issue is rooted within each individual and requires each individual to be a change in society. Gaining social justice is a big challenge toRead MoreComparing Martin Luther King Jrs Letter from a Birmingham Jail and Amata Millers The Many Faces of Social Justice1387 Words   |  6 Pagesand Amata Millers The many faces of social justice. One can interpret both of these essays as literature promoting equalit y and ending issues of racism. However, a thorough analysis of each work indicates that both authors advocate a difference approach in achieving what are similar ends. An examination of the authors respective works indicates that Millers methodology is more applicable to the author than Kings is. King Jr.s definition of social justice within his essay is civic equality betweenRead MoreRacial Discrimination : An American Civil Rights Activist942 Words   |  4 Pagesways. Though racism may be less blatant now in many cases, its existence is undeniable.† (Al Sharpton. BrainyQuote.com) Racial discrimination is a pessimistic reality that affects everyone in our society. Racism has destroyed and ended many lives but continues to happen due to this country being burdened by a racial blockade.. The legacy of discrimination continues to weigh on present-day. Current day discrimination persists through American life in various aspects like criminal justice,employmentRead MoreMy Parents Taught Me The Value Of An Education Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagesthe globe, and I had some open-minded British peers and I could thrive and learn about other cultures. This early exposure was a great eye-opener for me – I learnt about racism, classism, and culturally different gender ex pectations. This was a great learning experience and has informed my interest in studying social justice issues and cultural differences. I was born in Delta State, Nigeria. I am one of eight children. My mother was an orphan and my father lost his own father at the age of 7; bothRead MoreLetter From A Birmingham Jail And Barack Obama s A More Perfect Union1304 Words   |  6 Pagesboth leaders discussed many of the same issues. The big theme in both was about race in the United States and becoming a much more unified nation despite our race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Both of these leaders also touched on the fact that in order to solve the problems in this country, we must be unified and work together. One quote that really stood out to me in Letter of a Birmingham Jail was Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere...Whatever affects one directlyRead MoreIntroduction To reach a more sustainable world, everyones cooperation and participation are1200 Words   |  5 Pagessurroundings and natural environment which, in together, is the so-called environment. In order to achieve the equality, the concept of environmental justice was developed, that is originally from the unequal distribution of toxic pollutants in an African-American community. As an ongoing framing process, environmental justice has been expanding into more issues and aspects, also horizontally and vertically. It also moves from a rather anthropocentric view to more emphasisation on natural environment andRead MoreRacism And Racism : New Zealand Essay1455 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"In Aotearoa New Zealand the legacy of ongoing colonization by European (especially British) settlers has produced a society characterized by the presence of major ethnic and cultural disparities† (Kearns, Moewaka-Barnes, McCreanor, 2009). New Zealand has a population of around four million people . Within that amount of people ranges a vast variety of races consisting predominately of European/Pakeha, Maori, Asian and Pacific people. The Maori, who make up 15% of the population, are indigenousRead MoreAfrican Americans in Prison and the Jim Crow Laws Essay915 Words   |  4 Pageswith White Americans to not having the right to vote. Many people would say we as a nation are far passed those times but many African-Americans convicted of nonviolent drug crimes lose their right to vote, lose their chances for jobs and lose any social welfare programs that may have otherwise been given to them for their economic situation. The easy argument here is that a white man convicted of the same crime would lose these rights as well however, why is it that African-Americans are locked upRead MoreThe Complex Relationship Between Indigenous Australia And Non Indigenous Population Essay1464 Words   |  6 Pages[IAYP] and structural inequality leading to disadvantage on every social scale compared to non-Indigenous population. This paper aims to explore the role of structural inequality in societal institutions like the justice system, education and employment. For the purpose of this paper, Indigenous peoples of Australia will be inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Social indicators affecting IAYP are complex issues such as low levels of life expectancy (17 years less compared

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Issue Of Gender Equality - 790 Words

One of the newer issues that are facing schools today is accommodating transgender students. The Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972 states: â€Å"Prohibition against discrimination; exceptions. No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is talking about gender equality in schools. This means that a school cannot treat transgender students differently than other students of the same gender identity. If you were born as a female but identify as a male then you must treated the same as a male student. You must allow equal access to education, programs, and activities for all students including transgender students. Being transgender is when an individual’s gender identity is different from the sex assigned at birth. For example a transgender female was born a male bu t identifies as a female, and a transgender male was born a female but identifies as a male. These students are entitled to a safe and non-discriminatory environment, free of verbal and non-verbal harassment or hostility based on sex. Schools should be a welcome and safe place for all students no matter what their issues or abilities. Schools are now faced with the issue of whether or not to accommodate transgender students and whether or not to create policies specifically dealing with transgender students. SeveralShow MoreRelatedGender Equality : A Well Discussed Issue Essay1411 Words   |  6 PagesJoseline Santizo Mrs. Coogan English 101-4 9 December 2015 Women in STEM Gender equality has been a well-discussed issue in recent years. By some people, women are not treated on the same level as men because of preconceived stereotypes and gender roles. However, others have been fighting tirelessly to increase the amount of people who treat women and men equally. Although women are treated more fairly with regards to men today than in the 1950’s, there are still many discrepancies between theRead MoreThe Issue Of Gender Equality By Allan Kaprow And Lynda Benglis Essay2057 Words   |  9 Pagesfor artists and critics for half a decade, the issue of gender equality was an inspiration for artist in the early 60s and 70s and is still a focal point for much art even today. The works of two artists from this period Allan Kaprow and Lynda Benglis following the rise of feminism show how the movement questioned the very nature of the society they were living in. They seek to exploit the gender issues through their art and raise the points of who gende r is portrayed, the differences in their rolesRead MoreThe Battle For Gender Equality Has Long Been A Heated Issue1791 Words   |  8 PagesThe battle for gender equality has long been a heated issue plaguing men and women all around the world. But what exactly constitutes gender equality, what does it mean to be equal? Why does gender equality matter so much in the first place? After all, are we not all human beings? The issue surrounding gender equality is a complex issue because the concept of gender in itself is a social construction. This makes the notion of gender dynamic and volatile. How one is perceived and categorized in society’sRead MorePublic Opinion on Gender Issues: Human Rights, American Civil Rights, and Feminist Movements1328 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Movements that Significantly Affected Public Opinion on Gender Issues: Human Rights, American Civil Rights, and Feminist Movements The development of social movements in the course of human history has led to unprecedented changes that challenged the not only the status quo, but most importantly, the worldviews of societies as well. Social movements have sprung to create a new world order that defined human societies as they exist today. It is not surprising, then, that social movements likeRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1667 Words   |  7 PagesGender inequality is the state in which access to rights or opportunities is affected by gender. Gender inequality is an issue not just nationally but globally. This issue is portrayed by the mistreating of individuals, mainly women, and not valuing everyone as one. This presentation will illustrate the exploration of gender equality, propose a solution and why that solution will produce a better future for a better world. Gender inequality is a very important issue common in our world today thatRead MoreSummary Of Looking For Alibrandi By Goria Steinem1077 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"A gender-equal society would be one where the word â€Å"gender† does not exist: where everyone can be themselves. â€Å"said by Goria Steinem. I disagree with Steinem’s statement in relation to gender equality in contemporary Australia. In this essay, three arguments would be addressed, which directly referred to Melina Marchetta’s 1992 novel, Looking for Alibrandi that enacted a story of a teenage girl who had to face difficulties in the society and fight with the original Australians as she was an illegitimateRead MoreResearch Proposal : Gender Equality899 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Proposal: Gender Equality in America For my research project, I would like to show the evolution of gender equality that has occurred in American society in the workplace. The disparity of status and privileges between men and women has existed since the end of the World War II. Although America has made progress concerning the acceptance of social issues such as same sex relationship and marriage, people are still unwilling to acknowledge that gender inequality is still rampant among ourRead MoreThe Gender Equality Battle . â€Å"Who Is A Man, And Who Is1230 Words   |  5 PagesThe Gender Equality Battle â€Å"Who is a man, and who is a woman? Are we not one?† (unknown). This quote is significant in today’s society. Gender equality is not an issue that affects women. It is an issue that affects each and every single gender. The sources used for this essay give various outlooks on how gender inequality affects society and how as a society this issue can be resolved. The following sources give an insight into gender stereotypes, technology closing the gender gap, women becomingRead MoreGender Inequality Within The World1088 Words   |  5 PagesToday most children in the United States attend classes where gender equality exists. Students have classes in which both boys and girls are treated equally and are friends with one another and that is all that they have ever known. However, this is not always the case in every country. As of 2015, 53% of the children who are not attending school throughout the world are female (11 Facts About...). Gender inequality is an importa nt issue that needs to be focused on and fixed throughout the world,Read MoreFeminism : Third Wave Feminism962 Words   |  4 Pagesof the second-wave of feminism in the 20th century when women fought for their rights for equality not just in the workplace but also their right to vote. The movement for gender equality was originally viewed as a great effort by women for women. Today feminism is a subtitle of equality. Giving us the new definition of feminism called third-wave feminism or gender equality. Modern feminism means equality for men and women whereas, a century ago, feminism meant that women should have the same rights

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Fool Chapter 8 Free Essays

string(248) " memories of burning urination and putrid discharge, but what romance worth the memory is devoid of the bittersweet\? When I first met her, Goneril was but seventeen, and although betrothed to Albany from the age of twelve, she had never seen him\." EIGHT A WIND FROM FUCKING FRANCE Hunter was right, of course, he wasn’t able to feed Lear’s train. We imposed on villages along the way for fare and quarter, but north of Leeds the villages had suffered bad harvests and they could not bear our appetites without starving themselves. I tried to foster good cheer among the knights, while keeping distance from Lear – I had not forgiven the old man for disowning my Cordelia and sending away Drool. We will write a custom essay sample on Fool Chapter 8 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Secretly I relished the soldiers’ complaints about their lack of comfort, and made no real effort to dampen their rising resentment for the old king. On the fifteenth day of our march, outside of Lint-upon-Tweed, they ate my horse. â€Å"Rose, Rose, Rose – would a horse by any other name taste so sweet?† the knights chanted. They thought themselves clever, slinging such jests while spraying roasted bits of my mount from their greasy lips. The dull always seek to be clever at the fool’s expense, to somehow repay him for his cutting wit, but never are they clever, and often are they cruel. Which is why I may never own things, never care for anyone, nor show desire for anything, lest some ruffian, thinking he is funny, take it away. I have secret desires, wants, and dreams, though. Jones is a fine foil, but I should like someday to own a monkey. I would dress him in a tiny jester’s suit, of red silk, I think. I would call him Jeff, and he would have his own scepter, that would be called Tiny Jeff. Yes, I should very much like a monkey. He would be my friend – and it would be forbidden to murder, banish, or eat him. Foolish dreams? We were met at the gate of Castle Albany by Goneril’s steward, adviser, and chief toady, that most pernicious twat, Oswald. I’d had dealings with the rodent-faced muck-sucker when he was but a footman at the White Tower, when Goneril was still princess at court, and I, a humble jongleur, was found wandering naked amid her royal orbs. But that tale is best left for another time, the scoundrel at the gate impedes our progress. Spidery in appearance as well as disposition, Oswald lurks even when in the open, lurking being his natural state of locomotion. A fine black fuzz he wears for a beard, the same is on his head, when his blue tartan tam is humbled at his heart, which it was not that day. He neither removed his hat nor bowed as Lear approached. The old king was not pleased. He stopped the train an arrow-shot from the castle and waved me forward. â€Å"Pocket, go see what he wants,† said Lear. â€Å"And ask why there is no fanfare for my arrival.† â€Å"But nuncle,[24]† said I. â€Å"Shouldn’t the captain of the guard be the one – â€Å" â€Å"Go on, fool! A point is to be made about respect. I send a fool to meet this rascal and put him in his place. Spare no manners, remind the dog that he is a dog.† â€Å"Aye, majesty.† I rolled my eyes at Captain Curan, who almost laughed, then stopped himself, seeing that the king’s anger was real. I pulled Jones from my satchel and sallied forth, my jaw set, as determined as the prow of a warship. â€Å"Hail, Castle Albany,† I called. â€Å"Hail, Albany. Hail, Goneril.† Oswald said nothing, did not so much as remove his hat. He looked past me to the king, even when I was standing an arm’s length from him. I said: â€Å"King of bloody Britain here, Oswald. I’d suggest you pay proper respect.† â€Å"I’ll not lower myself to speak with a fool.† â€Å"Primping little whoreson wanker, innit he?† said the puppet Jones. â€Å"Aye,† said I. Then I spotted a guard in the barbican, looking down on us. â€Å"Hail, Cap’n, seems someone’s emptied a privy on your drawbridge and the steaming pile blocks our way.† The guard laughed. Oswald fumed. â€Å"M’lady has instructed me to instruct you that her father’s knights are not welcome in the castle.† â€Å"That so? She’s actually talking to you, then?† â€Å"I’ll not have an exchange with an impudent fool.† â€Å"He’s not impudent,† said Jones. â€Å"With proper inspiration, the lad sports a woody as stout as a mooring pin. Ask your lady.† I nodded in agreement with the puppet, for he is most wise for having a brain of sawdust. â€Å"Impudent! Impudent! Not impotent!† Oswald frothing a bit now. â€Å"Oh, well, why didn’t you say so,† said Jones. â€Å"Yes, he’s that.† â€Å"To be sure,† said I. â€Å"Aye,† said Jones. â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"The king’s rabble shall not be permitted in the castle.† â€Å"Aye. That so, Oswald?† I reached up and patted his cheek. â€Å"You should have ordered trumpets and rose petals scattered on our path.† I turned and waved the advance to the train, Curan spurred his horse and the column galloped forward. â€Å"Now get off the bridge or be trampled, you rat-faced little twat.† I strode past Oswald into the castle, pumping Jones in the air as if I was leading cadence for war drummers. I think I should have been a diplomat. As Lear rode by he clouted Oswald on the head with his sheathed sword, knocking the unctuous steward into the moat. I felt my anger for the old man slip a notch. Kent, his disguise now completed by nearly three weeks of hunger and living in the outdoors, fell in behind the train as I had instructed. He looked lean and leathery now, more like an older version of Hunter than the old, overfed knight he had been at the White Tower. I stood to the side of the gate as the column entered and nodded to him as he passed. â€Å"I’m hungry, Pocket. All I had to eat yesterday was an owl.† â€Å"Perfect fare for witch finding, methinks. You’re with me to Great Birnam Wood tonight, then?† â€Å"After supper.† â€Å"Aye. If Goneril doesn’t poison the lot of us.† Ah, Goneril, Goneril, Goneril – like a distant love chant is her name. Not that it doesn’t summon memories of burning urination and putrid discharge, but what romance worth the memory is devoid of the bittersweet? When I first met her, Goneril was but seventeen, and although betrothed to Albany from the age of twelve, she had never seen him. A curious, round-bottomed girl, she had spent her entire life in and around the White Tower, and she’d developed a colossal appetite for knowledge of the outside world, which somehow she thought she could sate by grilling a humble fool. It started on odd afternoons, when she would call me to her chambers, and with her ladies-in-waiting in attendance, ask me all manner of questions her tutors had refused to answer. â€Å"Lady,† said I, â€Å"I am but a fool. Shouldn’t you ask someone with position?† â€Å"Mother is dead and Father treats us like porcelain dolls. Everyone else is afraid to speak. You are my fool, it is your duty to speak truth to power.† â€Å"Impeccable logic, lady, but truth be told, I’m here as fool to the little princess.† I was new to the castle, and did not want to be held accountable for telling Goneril something that the king didn’t wish her to know. â€Å"Well, Cordelia is having her nap, so until she wakes you are my fool. I so decree it.† The ladies clapped at the royal decree. â€Å"Again, irrefutable logic,† said I to the thick but comely princess. â€Å"Proceed.† â€Å"Pocket, you have traveled the land, tell me, what is it like to be a peasant?† â€Å"Well, milady, I’ve never been a peasant, strictly speaking, but for the most part, I’m told it’s wake early, work hard, suffer hunger, catch the plague, and die. Then get up the next morning and do it all again.† â€Å"Every day?† â€Å"Well, if you’re a Christian – on Sunday you get up early, go to church, suffer hunger until you have a big meal of barley and swill, then catch the plague and die.† â€Å"Hunger? Is that why they seem so wretched and unhappy?† â€Å"That would be one of the reasons. But there’s much to be said for hard work, disease, run-of-the-mill suffering, and the odd witch burning or virgin sacrifice, depending on your faith.† â€Å"If they are hungry, why don’t they just eat something?† â€Å"That is an excellent idea, milady. Someone should suggest that.† â€Å"Oh, I shall make a most excellent duchess, I think. The people will praise me for my wisdom.† â€Å"Most certainly, milady,† said I. â€Å"Your father married his sister, then, did he, love?† â€Å"Heavens no, mother was a Belgian princess, why do you ask?† â€Å"Heraldry is my hobby, go on.† Once we were inside the main curtain wall[25] of Castle Albany, it was clear that we would go no farther. The main keep of the castle stood behind yet another curtain wall and had its own drawbridge, over a dry ditch rather than a moat. The bridge was lowering even as the king approached. Goneril walked out on the drawbridge unaccompanied, wearing a gown of green velvet, laced a bit too tightly. If the intent was to lessen the rise of her bosom it failed miserably, and brought gasps and guffaws from several of the knights until Curan raised his hand for silence. â€Å"Father, welcome to Albany,† said Goneril. â€Å"All hail good king and loving father.† She held out her arms and the anger drained from Lear’s face. He climbed down from his horse. I scampered to the king’s side and steadied him. Captain Curan signaled and the rest of the train dismounted. As I straightened Lear’s cape about his shoulders, I caught Goneril’s eye. â€Å"Missed you, pumpkin.† â€Å"Knave,† said she under her breath. â€Å"She was always the most fair of the three,† I said to Lear. â€Å"And certainly the most wise.† â€Å"My lord means to accidentally hang your fool, Father.† â€Å"Ah, well, if accident, there’s no fault but Fate,† said I with a grin – pert and nimble spirit of mirth that I am. â€Å"But call then for a spanking of Fate’s fickle bottom and hit it good, lady.† I winked and smacked the horse’s rump. Wit’s arrow hit and Goneril blushed. â€Å"I’ll see you hit, you wicked little dog.† â€Å"Enough of that,† said Lear. â€Å"Leave the boy alone. Come give your father a hug.† Jones barked enthusiastically and chanted, â€Å"A fool must hit it. A fool must hit it, hit it good.† The puppet knows a lady’s weakness. â€Å"Father,† said she, â€Å"I’m afraid we’ve accommodation only for you in the castle. Your knights and others will have to make do in the outer bailey.[26] We’ve quarters and food for them by the stables.† â€Å"But what about my fool?† â€Å"Your fool can sleep in the stable with the rest of the rabble.† â€Å"So be it.† Lear let his eldest lead him into the castle like a milk cow by the nose ring. â€Å"She truly loathes you, doesn’t she?† said Kent. He was busy wrapping himself around a pork shoulder the size of a toddler – his Welsh accent actually sounding more natural through the grease and gristle than when clear. â€Å"Not to worry, lad,† said Curan, who had joined us by our fire. â€Å"We’ll not let Albany hang you. Will we, lads!?† Soldiers all around us cheered, not sure what they were cheering for, beyond the fact that they were enjoying the first full meal with ale that they’d had since leaving the White Tower. A small village was housed inside the bailey and some of the knights were already wandering off in search of an alehouse and a whore. We were outside the castle, but at least we were out of the wind, and we could sleep in the stables, which the pages and squires had mucked out on our arrival. â€Å"But if we’re not welcome in the great hall, then they are not welcome to the talents of the king’s fool,† said Curan. â€Å"Sing us a song, Pocket.† A cheer went up around the camp: â€Å"Sing! Sing! Sing!† Kent raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Go ahead, lad, your witches will wait.† I am what I am. I drained my flagon of ale, set it by the fire, then whistled loudly, jumped up, did three somersaults and laid out into a back-flip, wherefrom I landed with Jones pointed at the moon, and said, â€Å"A ballad, then!?† â€Å"Aye!† came the cheer. And ever so sweetly, I crooned the lilting love song â€Å"Shall I Shag My Lady Upon the Shire?† I followed that with a bit of a narrative song by way of a troubadour tradition: â€Å"The Hanging of Willie Wagging William.† Well, everyone likes a story after supper, and by the one-eyed balls of the Cyclops, that one got them clapping, so I slowed it down a bit with the solemn ballad, â€Å"Dragon Spooge Befouled My Bonny Bonny Lass.† Bloody inconsiderate to leave a train of fighting men fighting back tears, so I danced my way around the camp while singing the shanty â€Å"Alehouse Lilly (She’ll Bonk You Silly).† I was about to say good night and head out when Curan called for silence and a road-worn herald wearing a great golden fleur-delis on his chest entered the camp. He unrolled his scroll and read. â€Å"Hear ye, hear ye. Let it be known that King Philip the Twenty-seventh of France is dead. God rest his soul. Long live France. Long live the king!† No one â€Å"long lived the king† back at him and he seemed disappointed. Although one knight did murmur â€Å"So?† and another, â€Å"Good bloody riddance.† â€Å"Well, you British pig dogs, Prince Jeff is now king,† said the herald. We all looked at each other and shrugged. â€Å"And Princess Cordelia of Britain is now Queen of France,† the herald added, rather huffy now. â€Å"Oh,† said many, realizing at last at least a glancing relevance. â€Å"Jeff?† said I. â€Å"The bloody frog prince is called Jeff?† I strode to the herald and snatched the scroll out of his hand. He tried to take it back and I clouted him with Jones. â€Å"Calm, lad,† said Kent, taking the scroll from me and handing it back to the herald. â€Å"Merci,† said he to the messenger. â€Å"He took my bloody princess and my monkey’s name!† said I, taking another swing with Jones, which missed its mark as Kent was dragging me away. â€Å"You should be pleased,† said Kent. â€Å"Your lady is the Queen of France.† â€Å"And don’t think she’s not going to rub my nose in that when I see her.† â€Å"Come, lad, let’s go find your witches. We’ll want to be back by morning in time for Albany to accidentally hang you.† â€Å"Oh, she’d like that, wouldn’t she?† How to cite Fool Chapter 8, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Recently, the media has spent an increasing amount Essay Example For Students

Recently, the media has spent an increasing amount Essay afd of broadcast time on new technology. The focus of high-tech media has been aimed at the flurry of advances concerning artificial intelligence (AI). What is artificial intelligence and what is the media talking about? Are these technologies beneficial to our society or mere novelties among business and marketing professionals? Medical facilities, police departments, and manufacturing plants have all been changed by AI but how? These questions and many others are the concern of the general public brought about by the lack of education concerning rapidly advancing computer technology. Artificial intelligence is defined as the ability of a machine to think for itself. Scientists and theorists continue to debate if computers will actually be able to think for themselves at one point (Patterson 7). The generally accepted theory is that computers do and will think more in the future. AI has grown rapidly in the last ten years chiefly because of the advances in computer architecture. The term artificial intelligence was actually coined in 1956 by a group of scientists having their first meeting on the topic (Patterson 6). Early attempts at AI were neural networks modeled after the ones in the human brain. Success was minimal at best because of the lack of computer technology needed to calculate such large equations. AI is achieved using a number of different methods. The more popular implementations comprise neural networks, chaos engineering, fuzzy logic, knowledge based systems, and expert systems. Using any one of the aforementioned design structures requires a spec ialized computer system. For example, Anderson Consulting applies a knowledge based system to commercial loan officers using multimedia (Hedburg 121). Their system requires a fast IBM desktop computer. Other systems may require even more horsepower using exotic computers or workstations. Even more exotic is the software that is used. Since there are very few applications that are pre-written using AI, each company has to write its own software for the solution to the problem. An easier way around this obstacle is to design an add-on. The company FuziWare makes several applications that act as an addition to a larger application. FuziCalc, FuziQuote, FuziCell, FuziChoice, and FuziCost are all products that are use!d as management decision support systems for other off-the shelf applications (Barron 111). In order to tell that AI is present we must be able to measure the intelligence being used. For a relative scale of reference, large supercomputers can only create a brain the size of a fly (Butler and Caudill 5). It is surprising what a computer can do with that intelligence once it has been put to work. Almost any scientific, business, or financial profession can benefit greatly from AI. The ability of the computer to analyze variables provides a great advantage to these fields. There are many ways that AI can be used to solve a problem. Virtually all of these methods require special hardware and software to use them. Unfortunately, that makes AI systems expensive. Consulting firms, companies that design computing solutions for their clients, have offset that cost with the quality of the system. Many new AI systems now give a special edge that is needed to beat the competition. Neural networks have entered the spotlight with surprisingly successful results. A neural network is a type of information processing system whose architecture is similar to the structure of biological neural systems (Butler and Caudill 5). The neural network tries to mimic the way a brain and nervous system work by analyzing sensory inputs and calculating an outcome. A neural network is usually composed of simple decision making elements that are connected with variable weights and strengths. Each one these elements is called a neurode. The term neurode is similar to the biological n euron. The term was modified slightly to indicate an artificial nature. Memory is stored by a certain pattern of the connection weights between the neurodes. Processing information is performed by changing and spreading the connections weights among the network. Before it can be used a neural network must be trained. Some can learn by themselves, some require training by doing, and oth!ers learn by trial and error. A computer learns by naturally associating items the computer is taught and grouping